Luxury tax concerns won’t scare the Sixers away from chasing elite talent this summer, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
LeBron James tops the list of targets and is rumored to be considering Philadelphia as a possible destination. GM Brian Colangelo estimates the team will have about $25MM in cap room, but more could be opened to meet James’ demand for a maximum deal starting around $35MM a year.
“I think the bar is very high for us in terms of who we are going to put on this team,” said Sixers co-managing partner Josh Harris. “But on the other hand, for a certain small number of players, like we are going to go after them hard. People have asked me about the luxury tax. I don’t have any problem spending for good players.”
Pompey shares a few other notes about the Sixers’ offseason:
- The franchise is planning to pursue Oklahoma City’s Paul George as well as James. George has expressed a desire to play in Los Angeles, but could be swayed by the young talent in place in Philadelphia. His defense and outside shooting would make him an attractive fit alongside Ben Simmons.
- The Sixers will make a play for Spurs star Kawhi Leonard if he becomes available in trade. Leonard has a good relationship with coach Brett Brown, but Pompey cites the risk of trading for him without a guarantee that he will sign an extension. Leonard can opt out of a $20.1MM salary next summer.
- Creating room for a max contract means renouncing the rights to free agents J.J. Redick, Amir Johnson, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova. The Sixers could try to bring them back with the mid-level exception and minimum contracts, but they may all get better offers elsewhere. Redick signed a one-year, $23MM deal to come to Philadelphia last summer and is probably seeking a longer arrangement at age 33. Pompey expects him to get an offer in the $12MM to $15MM range. Johnson, 31, will also be searching for a long-term contract.
Why would they not
Perhaps the NBA can schedule the Sixers and the Lakers to play on alternating nights. Then LeBron could sign for both teams at $30M each.
He’d make $60M, have two new large markets to provide promotional income, and could play as many games per year as Mike Trout.
The only problem to overcome is deciding how to handle the Finals if he has to play against himself.
i honestly see kawai going to boston & pg going to philly. lebron possibly to houston (dont see the fit but i said that about cp3 too lol)
Lebron is not going to spend the rest of his career in Houston.
But let me guess he is salivating to go play with Malik Monk in Charlotte
Lmao
I love you Kenleyfornia74! That was epic!
No way Kawai comes to Boston. I don’t see the Celtics trading what it would take to get him
Lebron- Sixers
George- OKC
Kawhi- Indiana
It feels like Leonard to Philly. BOS will do what Boston does, and try to lowball/overvalue it’s assets. RC will just hang up the phone, and deal with Philly, Clips, or Cavs.
This complete nonsense by the Sixers
The process to me was about tanking and then getting the best available player to build a proper team! The Sixers failed miserably, they have no back court and now they gotta sing a big name to look good! The Process was a bunch of Bull Man!
If the Sixers got Jamal Murray and Dennis Smith, Jr. which they could have and teamed them up with Embiid, how slick would that have been!!! It would have been one of the most athletic teams ever and young to boot!
SMH
Dude you cant be serious saying you prefer DSJ and Jamal over Markelle and Ben in a Wing oriented league. Stick to your pathetic baseball team
Dang, that’s cold
The Process #Sux!!!!!!
The Sixers are better now then they were before the Process so I don’t know how it sux. Also the Process is doing exactly what it was supposed to. The end game of the Process was to bottom out and draft top young talent and then use the available cap space to sign a superstar to round out the roster. That’s exactly what is happening this offseason.
Hash tags don’t really work here
The process was about making Philadelphia an attractive team that players wanted to play for…..and it worked
The Lakers are going to get one of the three. Feels like George, but who knows? I have a feeling whoever gets George will have buyer’s remorse within 2 years.
Lebron will probably go to Philly just because he has always preferred the easy road. He went to Miami with Bosh and Wade, came back to Cleveland when they had 3 out of 4 overall #1s, after he forced all three of them out he’ll be off to Philly. Philly fans might not like it when their #1s are traded because Lebron can’t play with them.
I have a strong feeling that Kawhi will be a Spur next season. Boston won’t meet SA’s price of Tatum/Brown/Lakers or Kings #1, nor should they. Saric/Fultz/Lakers pick might get it done in Philly. Someone may come in with a surprise offer like OKC did with George. Charlotte, Washington, Lakers, Phoenix, and a couple others could all be possibilities in my opinion.
LeBron being one of those #1s. The others: Kyrie who bailed on his own accord so he could be the man ( if the nba gave out a DMOY, dumbest move of the year, it goes to Kyrie bc if he stays he’d be looking at having the team for himself next year while going for other ring this year). Anthony Bennett will go down as one of the biggest draft busts ever! Good riddance. In order to pick up a much needed KLove, Wiggins had to go in a trade which ended up being great bc the Cavs get a ring and the TWolves got a very athletic wing that is a ball stopper, inconsistent defensive player who can’t control a game like KLove can. Just setting the record straight.
Lebron was NOT one of the 3 #1s I was referring to. I was talking about the 3 #1s that happened during Lebron’s sojourn in Miami
2011 – Irving
2013 – Bennett
2014 – Wiggins
How exactly is Kyrie’s move dumb? If he stayed, he’d still be in the Eastern Conference Finals. In case you missed the note, Boston is there too.
Bennett might end up as the biggest bust ever, but he still had value when he was traded.
Just because Wiggins never played for the Cavs, doesn’t mean he wasn’t on the team after he was drafted. He was still forced out because of Lebron.
If you are going to make the argument that Kevin Love can control a game, then there is really nothing more to say because you are not thinking clearly.
Thank you for the conversation and have a nice day.
Kyrie’s Celtics are in the East Finals too ya know….not really sure how he made the dumb move. He’s the leader of one of the best teams in the NBA and doesn’t have to deal with LeBron’s BS anymore
Hiflew thinks Cleveland had premium teams when he joined them. Both times. Not a high level thinker.
Where did I say anything about premium teams? Either time? He was drafted the first time, he had no choice in going there. The second time, he went to a team that had 3 of the last 4 overall #1 picks. They may not have been premium at that time, but you didn’t need a crystal ball to see the Cavs were trending upward, much like the Sixers now.
The best compliment I have received on here is you calling me “not a high level thinker.” I have seen your analytical skills in action and if you think I am “not a high level thinker,” then I am much more confident in my intelligence.
The Cavs were not trending upward. FAs did not want to sign there. Their drafting was terrible. Minnesota took Bennett and Waiters to save face but they were losing Love anyway. Love came because Lebron came, and he was forcing himself out of Minnesota.
So LeBron went back to Cleveland because they had 3 #1 picks but then he forced them out? How does this make sense.
Because he viewed the #1 picks as a resource to get the veteran pieces he wanted to play with (ie Kevin Love). Not to mention that it opened up roster spots for in season acquisitions JR Smith and Kendrick Perkins who Lebron openly lobbied for.
I don’t recall James lobbying for Smith. Smith was not even the objective of the trade.
Perkins was irrelevant.
Love would not have considered Cleveland but for James.
Wiggins forced out for Lebron? I’ll take it. The issue is Wiggins or Love, not Wiggins or James. Wiggins is and was doomed to be an albatross.
You’re just guessing to fill in your sloppy narrative.
Of course they were irrelevant, that is why Lebron wanted them. They were perfectly happy taking a back seat to his ego. Lebron didn’t want Wiggins and Kyrie because he didn’t want to share the glory. Perkins and Smith and Shumpert were never going to usurp his position. Simple as that.
Love didn’t have to consider it, he was traded there.
Wiggins had practically the same hype as Simmons coming into the league. There were people crying and moaning because they traded the “future of the franchise” for Love. Don’t re-write history just because he didn’t turn out to be a superstar like predicted.
Love was trade to Cleveland because he forced a move out and Lebron made the owner trade for him. If Lebron does not want to share glory, why did he require Love be moved to Cleveland? Why did he let Irving take the most shots?
Stars want to play with stars. That’s the biggest narrative of this era and you are oblivious to it. You think Lebron WANTS to play with beet farmers.
And what difference does local opinion of wiggins make? He was never a Cav. The deal was in hand.
Is this swanson? What point are you even arguing?
LeBron is directly responsible for the over the hill over priced players on the Cavs. He 100% lobbied to have young players traded. He viewed them as assets to trade for specific pieces he thought he needed to win a championship. I’m sure it was just coincidence in your world that everyone the Cavs traded for or signed was friends with LeBron, or brought a skill he lacked, which isn’t much.
That is true for exactly NOBODY the Cavs traded for. They signed some Heat players when he first came. Bron made friends with 2 players already there; maybe now Korver too. Love is still not friends nor anyone else. Your post lacks names for a reason.
I totally agree on the Kawhi to Charlotte possibility. The Hornets can match salary and give SA what they want.
Potential Trade:
Hornets Receive: Danny Green, Kawhi
Spurs Receive: Kemba, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller, Charlotte 1st
I do hope Philly doesn’t go for any of the Lebron, PG13 or Kawhi. Why would they? They have a bright future let them grow by themselves adding good vet players like JJ, Ilyasova, marco, TJ & maybe some more. But not a superstar, they already have got BS & JE. Also I wouldn’t swap Dario for Kawhi, he wouldn’t play the 4. Fultz next year will be a great addition too, so keeping the core & the patience that the franchise & fans have shown for the past few years, Philly is got the brightest future of the league, if they don’t mess it all up with bringing a great name this summer.
You wouldn’t swap Dario for Kawhi? Every other team in the NBA sure would.
If the sixers fail on all three and sign Aaron Gordon I’m done lol.
He’s the 4th or 5th option for the Sixers, but he won’t get out of Orlando. Pretty sure they will match any offer b/c they will still be under the Luxury Tax if they do so. And they lose another 28M off the books in 2019-20. The draft should go their way too with Trae Young, their main position of need.
Does anyone other Philly fans not want Lebron to come to the Sixers? I don’t see the fit. Yes, he’s a (still) terrific player, but he’s also entering the twilight of his career, and he’s a bit too dominant of a player/presence to fit in the with the Sixers. They have a young, upcoming team that has some special talent, and I think Lebron entering the mix would zap some of that away, as everything that happens with the team—one and off the court—will go through Lebron. It might be good for a season or two, but will end up blowing up soon thereafter.
Paul George definitely fits better. His defense is obviously a plus, but the team needs his outside shooting more than anything.
As for Kawhi, he’s probably the best asset on the market based on his overall skillset, but one has to be wary of his injury and what has gone on SA. Plus there’s the enormous cost it will take to acquire him.
LeBron signs 1+1 deals Every year. There’s no downside to signing him. At worst you’re on the hook for 2 years. He’s never injured. And he is still performing at MVP levels. Add up Box Plus/Minus, Win Shares, and Value Over Replacement Player = Every MVP for the last 10-15 years. LeBron is 2nd this year to Harden.
Looking at those numbers compared to FA:
Gordon = 3.9
Parker = 5.2 (2016-17 #s)
PG13 = 14.8
Kawhi = 27.7 (2016-17 #s)
LBJ = 32.5
So I agree with Kawhi being a great fit, he’s a markedly better player than PG13 by the metrics. Even if you cherry pick your stats with PG13 his best season was 2013-14.
However – Don’t know the real status of Kawhi’s injury. Will cost assets – yes Fultz and Saric are assets mainly b/c of their production potential versus $$. Kawhi will demand a max contract in addition to 2 key players and picks. LeBron costs money, PG13 cost money.
I’d only sign-up for Kawhi if they also landed PG13 or LeBron. Brian Windhorst put it out there 1st about Kawhi & LBJ. But if they get 2 of the 3 I don’t care who they give up. My preference is to pay for talent with $ not assets.
Imagine if they steal Jabari for a one year show me contract AND still get Lebron? Simmons, JJ, lebron, Jabari, and Embiid. Unless they get a cheaper SG or JJ takes the 10mil cut. Very far out scenario of course. And if Bagley falls to the sixers and Young is still on the board, are you taking Young still? Saw your earlier post and was curious.
LeBron needs a great shooter at one of the guard positions. Someone speedy who knocks em down. Can anyone on the Sixers hit a 3? Simmons is super fun to watch, and embiid as well, but who on this team is your go to shooter? Even with Kawhi and LeBron there is no one with a good jump shot. I’m not saying it wouldn’t work, but who do you envision being the shooters in that scenario. You can’t just attack the rim every possession.
And I know Reddick, but he’s too old to really fullfil the role on a true contender.
I remember LeBron being destined for New York before he ended up in Miami.
1 name that hasn’t been mentioned at all with the 6ers is Chris Paul. I know it’s likely he stays with Houston,but Colangelo definitely has a history with going after pgs.Kidd,Marbury and Nash in Phoenix,Lowry in Toronto.And Paul and Redick were already backcourt mates.And it’s more likely a pg who can shoot plays good ball into his age 37 season,than a sf.And he’d be a great mentor to both McConnell and Fultz.